The Life of Redd
by jake.reinemeyer
Summary: A short story I wrote. Don't know how well it matches up with all of the Animal Crossing series. Hope that you enjoy though.


Today I find myself on the brink of death. I never considered myself a bad person. I just considered myself a part of the world. All I did was try to make a few extra bells. It's not my fault that SOME people don't consider my merchandise "Top of the line", and that greedy little raccoons RUINED MY LIFE. I'm losing myself. I've always felt cheated of the glory I rightfully deserve. Thomas always knew I was the true business man. Now he works in Real Estate or something. He's not the reason I'm in this mess. Not entirely, but it all started around him, let me go back a little.

When I was a kid I didn't have much. I had my uncle, but he just wanted me for some more retirement. He taught me most all I know about making bells. I lived in a village in the Animal Forest. Being a fox I didn't have many other places to go. My business was small, but I made quite a name for myself. They called me Crazy Redd. Whenever someone came by they'd either say the prices were "crazy" high, the item was "crazy" rare, or I was "crazy" for mumbling to myself. One day I was trying to sell a one of my fakes, my uncle was good with forgery, and I was caught. They had a gun and I was real scared. That was when a little raccoon came along with a slingshot and yelled,

"I'll have you all audited if you lay a finger on him." They backed off and I praised him for saving me. I told him I'd do anything he wanted so long as he didn't call the cops. He said it wasn't needed, and that's when I started getting to know Thomas Nook.

He told me he worked in a shop and gave out loans. It turned out a lot of people in town owed him lots of bells. I thought of what I could do with this. I asked him if we could go into business together. He agreed and even welcomed me to stay at his house. I decided to go tell my uncle. I ran excitedly back to the empty warehouse I called home, only to find my uncle dead with a bullet through his skull. A half-finished painting on the table that had been stained with blood was all that was left. A note was left next to the painting on the table.

"Dear Mr. Redd,

You have some serious nerve trying to get a forgery in my collection. You're lucky Nook has a grip on my property, or else you'd be dead like your poor, poor uncle. I'll consider that nice red vase your uncle had on 'im compensation, but if you ever mess with me or my gang again there'll be trouble.

From,

Kicks"

I dropped the note and fell to the ground and cried. I know my uncle wasn't much, and he didn't think much of me. He was all that I had though. I knew it would only hurt me more if I went after them, and my uncle wouldn't want me dead too. I decided to begin a new life in good, clean business. At least that's what I thought.

I began working with Tom the next day. I told what happened and I could tell he really felt sorry for me. I told him I'd still be able to work. He told me he had a surprise for me. It was a safe, nothing special, but it was the first real gift I'd ever been given. I usually took care of product management, while Tom worked with budgets and profit. I was living a lot better than I used to and making more money too. We eventually grew older and working became a routine. From time to time I would feel as though a product should be worth more and charged a few extra bells, which I pocketed. One time Nook caught me. I apologized and said I knew it was wrong, but he just stared at me with a look of disappointment. Things didn't get worse than that, until that horrible day.

It was raining cats and dogs and I was stuck taking out some of the trash, when a couple of hedgehogs caught my attention. They were crying under a peach tree. I walked over to them and asked them their names. They quivered as they spoke, but I got their names. Able and Sable. They said their parents were gone and some strange people asked them to leave their house. I knew where they came off, not having family, or knowing where to go. I offered them food and shelter for the night and they followed me back. This is when I saw it. The second I walked through the door, the look on Nook's face when he saw those girls. He was in love he immediately ran over and brought them food.

From then on he treated those girls like his own, and we started to drift apart. I would sit on one end of the table and he would sit with the girls on the other end. I never felt so alone. He'd teach them how to sew clothing, and they were pretty good at it. One day, I decided I'd had it. I was working the floor when a gullible looking guy named Caesar came through. I decided to make a few extra bells today, but just before I made my sale, Able came around.

"That's not the REAL price Mr. Caesar," she yelled, and that got Tom's attention.

"I'll be with you in a moment Mr. Caesar. Redd, will you see me in the back for a moment?" asked Tom. I thought I was busted, but that GREEDY LITTLE, pardon me, Tom said that this may work out fine. He said he was planning on starting a new life. He was making a new store called Nook's Cranny next door to his precious little girl's new store. My anger disappeared. I then realized my best friend was leaving me. I gathered my things and left.

It was back to the streets. I thought I'd pick up where I left off. I went back into the "art" business. I went back into business with an old pal. I've been requested not to reveal his name, but his name starts with an L and rhymes with smile. I got a tent and a fresh supply of forgeries. Heck, a REAL painting floated through a few times. I made my way off of dumb suckers for a long time.

One day I was working the tent when a weird-nosed kid came in, he was a usual. He said he found something interesting. He pulled out my late uncle's old red vase. I faked a smile and asked him what he wanted for it. He said my safe looked pretty nice. For a moment I hesitated, remembering what old Tom had done for me, but then rage struck me when I thought of the girls and gave it away without a second thought.

Business was going well for quite a few years. There were good times, and bad times. I even got to live in the big city for a few years. I had plenty of cash, and forgery with the new technology was a snap. I was in the prime of my life, but just like every time something good happened to me in my life, it took a turn for the worse.

A new customer or "cousin" of mine was coming to my shop.

"Easy money," I thought to myself.

"Eye on the prize," he whispered through the door.

"Come on in cuz'!" I said, but I was met with a gun to the head.

"Don't make any sudden moves crazy, we got enough dirt on you to bury you for years," said a mole wearing overalls and a helmet poking out of the ground.

"You got the right to remain silent. Yeah this undercover agent Resseti from the reset department. I got Redd. Counterfeiter and POSSIBLE resetter. Backup came before long, and I was facing a lot of years in jail unless I could come up with the bail. I'm not spending another SECOND of my life in jail. I sit here now with a well sharpened stick I found in my cell to my throat. Goodbye.

"That's the one I need," said the strange-nosed kid. I looked up and saw my old customer. He didn't look like he'd aged a day.

"Um… You're free to go… er… I guess," said Officer Booker.

"ALWAYS good to see a cousin! How you been holdin' up?" I asked thrilled to see that I was saved. Apparently he was a mayor of some town now. He gave me a tent and put me to work selling paintings (but REAL paintings are just SO hard to come by these days), and working a booth Sunday nights in August. Every now and then, when I'm setting up shop, I'll see Tom Nook. He'll wave at me, but I just keep setting up shop, pretending not to see anything.

THE END


End file.
